Wild Tigers I Have Known

A few things on my mind this weekend. My partner has applied for a visa from the Australian government to visit Tasmania with Oliver and I at Christmas time. It went in on Thursday last week. I sponsored him. We are eagerly awaiting an outcome. I hope he gets it. It rained heaps last night, which was fantastic as we haven’t had rain for months. Watched a film this afternoon that was stunning and confronting at the same time. Wild Tigers I Have Known by Cam Archer. Gus Van Sant was the executive producer so I knew it would probably be a bit out of the box. My Own Private Idaho - for those not familiar with his films. The opening scene in Wild Tigers I Have Known, is of a thirteen year old boy masturbating (under the covers, thank goodness) to a wrestling show on the television. I was a little shocked and that is saying something for me, but as the film progressed it clearly highlighted the uncertain and scary world of growing up knowing you are not like other boys. Logan, the focus of the film, is a lonely gay teenager who is beginning to discover who he is. He goes through several experiences that I am sure all men growing up gay will have had. I know I did. It is a lyric, poetic and visually interesting film and despite having no real plot captivated me. Logan chats with a counsellor and she asks him, "Do you feel different to everybody else?" That typifies my childhood. I always felt different and constantly asked myself, "Why aren't I like them?"
I can’t help but think that schools all over the world all have gay students. What are they doing to make their journey any less traumatic than it was for me forty years ago?